New way community general meeting presentation nov 4

New Way Community Society

Special General Meeting
4th November

Agenda
• Welcome - Please fill out the attendance register
• Reflection
• Minutes of previous meeting ( to be approved
plus minutes of this meeting at AGM in February)
• Special Resolution re change in Bylaws
• Proposal for transition to new model and
strategy
• Discussion and Motions from the floor
• Closure

Special Resolution
Moved by Sandra Severs
Seconded by Ric Matthews

That the purposes and provisions currently set out in Article II of the
constitution of New Way Community Society be deleted and replaced by
the following:

1. To advance religion in the Downtown Eastside community of Vancouver
through the creation of an intentional, inclusive faith community, situated
at the margins of society, and informed by a Christian lens;

2. To advance religion by offering Sunday Christian worship services, religious
rituals, Bible study, and pastoral care for the sick and incarcerated;

3. To provide walking tours, discussion, newsletters, blogs, social media and
interfaith dialogue as a means of creating an atmosphere of inclusion and
tolerance between the Downtown Eastside community and the wider
community, and to promote harmony between faith groups.

Special Resolution

4. To relieve poverty by providing a drop-in centre for homeless
and/or low income individuals, and by providing food, clothing,
blankets, first aid, internet access, and other basic necessities;

5. To relieve poverty by providing referrals/information to the
marginalized population of Downtown Eastside Vancouver
regarding affordable housing, medical/dental care and mental
health support, and by providing furnishings and supplies to low
income individuals living in social housing; and

6. To undertake activities ancillary and incidental to the above-
mentioned charitable purposes.

Transition to new strategy
and business model
Our Vision remains constant.

New Way Community is
• Inclusive of people from all ages, social circumstances, and faith
perspectives
• Intentional in being informed by the Christian Gospel, and
intentional in embracing those who are most excluded elsewhere

Such that in a spirit of mutuality & interdependence (Ubuntu) ,
we become a 24/7 family
in which we each find meaning and belonging

and business model
Our Vision remains constant.

Our understanding of Family
is that it is Sacred Space in which
each individual is freed to be fully themselves
to the benefit/enrichment of the whole/all
and as such, it is the warp & weave of cohesive healthy society

in which we each find
meaning and belonging

and business model
The need remains constant.

Among those with FAS, Brain Damage, Mental Illness, overwhelming trauma/abuse
there are hundreds of deeply troubled people
regularly barred or permanently excluded
who at great cost in human suffering and in tax dollars cycle through courts,
prisons, ER, shelters, etc to exist in the space between the thresholds
(of what the facilities can tolerate - and - that of prisons/mental institutions)
resulting in random but frequent assaults (Sun Run, Ray Cam, Coffee Shops, etc)
and deaths (barred alcoholic, shot by VPD, VANDU deaths)

The need remains for those people and for all of us , to be able to reconne3ct with
Self (find worth and meaning) , Family, Society, Earth, Spiritual Centre
meaning and belonging

and business model
What we have learned.

We thought we were
• Building off momentum, (but rather building off elements of a
strong platform
• Continuing an organisation vision and mission that had proven
support (but momentum does not birth a new organization.)
• Able to assume the core of the funding base would continue

The reality is we are a new organization (a baby vs an adult)

and business model
What we have learned. –
The reality is we are a new organization (a baby vs an adult)

As a result, we were/are confronted by the need to address
• Our grief
• Massive transitions from
- business plan based on staff-driven model of past 5 yrs
- building an organization as the starting point , to building community
- engaging the City re “homelessness”, (to “needs of the most
excluded”)
- Trying on building partnership with First United, to doing own thing
- Being a recognised charity, to formal recognition by CRA
• Critical “developmental tasks” of being a baby

and business model
What we have achieved.

• Patrons and Vanier
• Registered non profit and registration with CRA
• Infrastructure (website, mailing list of 300+, membership of 30+)
and presence (offices; active team on the ground; presence in
Listening Post , streets, parks; daily ongoing relationships with
individuals; Wednesday mornings and Sunday evenings)
• Financial contribution of around $70,000 and unremunerated
staff time of around $300,000
• Constructive relationships with UGM, City Councillors, VPD, Judy
Graves ,PHS, Mission Possible, Communitas, Interspiritual Centre

and business model
What we have achieved. - The baby is now birthed

• Has started walking and talking and a clear sense of it's own self as
separate being,
• We have in fact gone in one year from babyhood to entering
senior elementary school : CRA approval is like Graduating
Certificate from junior elementary
• Now like a 9 to 11 yr old we have to deal with the preparation for
the next stage of development
• The birthing and development process is reflected in shifts in the
relationships of Gill and Derek and PJ to this entity

and business model
The implications, proposal and ‘ask’.

Implications of this stage of our development

We need to develop further clarity around:

• Who this body is and how it express itself. (Who are the
parts/members, what is its capacity & capability, what does it do)

• How we will sustain, feed and fund this entity going forward

and business model

The proposal for our strategy going forward
Focus on:
• Building a core ongoing community of at least 25-50 persons;
- Build on the Sunday Celebration & Wednesday Gathering
• Establishing a space where members and non- members can
connect with the “family” on a daily basis.
- Secure small office space & possible use of Listening Post/Dugout
• Securing funding of at least $50,000 over next 6 months
- Fund a core staff of 1FTE plus non-remunerated others
- Funding base of members while exploring Grants, etc.

and business model

THE ASK
This is only realistic if a significant number of those in this room who
share the vision, are willing and able to commit to:
• Funding (To date around 20 people are willing to - or currently do -
contribute an average over the group of about $100pm each – we
need the equivalent of about 65 more such contributors)
and/or
• Active participation in weekly on-the-ground activities (To date at
least 15 people are spending 3 hours or more each week in
active participation – we need another 15 to 35)

Discussion and Motions
from the floor

The way forward......
• Discussion, Ideas, Comments
• Motions

Thank you for Participating!!

Please stay for snacks & drinks
and for the
Celebration from 7pm- 8pm

New way community general meeting presentation nov 4

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